Hinge



Patented Mar. 7, I899. C. DIETZ.

HINGE.

(Application-filed Max. 10, i898},

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

P50. 620,572. Patented Ma r. 7, I899.

C. DIETZ! HINGE.

(Application filed Mar. 10, 1898., (No Model.) 2 Sheets-$heet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

CONRAD DIETZ, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,57 2, dated March. 7, 1899.

Application filed March 10,1898. Serial No. 673,308. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, CONRAD DIETZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hinges, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in hinges, such as are adapted for use on boxes, trunks, casings, and the like for holding in place the lids or covers thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a hinge of this character of a simple and inexpensive nature which shall be light and strong in construction and shall be adapted when in use to insure a tight joint between the body of the box or casing and the cover when the latter is closed and at the same time prevent frictional engagement of the casing and cover when the latter is being opened and closed and also to act as a brace, so as to hold the cover securely in position againstlateral movement.

My invention consists in a hinge comprising two pivotally-connected parts or members,one of which is adapted to be secured to the body of the box or casing and the other to the lid or cover thereof, one part or member being arranged to project over the edge of the part of the box or casing to which it is secured and the other part or member being spaced away from the part of the box or casing to which it is secured and being arranged to receive between it and the side of the box or casing the projecting portion of the other part or member to form a brace to strengthen and hold the lid or cover against endwise movement when closed.

My invention also contemplates certain novel features of the construction, combination, and arrangement of the several parts of the improved hinge whereby certain important advantages are attained, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will be carefully defined in the claim.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a perspective view showing a trunk or box having its lid or cover held in place by means of hinges constructed accordtically through a trunk or box having its lid or cover, which is herein shown in raised position, secured in place by means of a hinge constructed according to my invention, the hinge being modified to adapt it to be used inside the box or trunk. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side view showing ahinge constructed according to myinvention applied for holding a lid or cover in place on a casing or receptacle of irregular contour; and Fig. 7 is a similar View, the cover or lid being shown in raised or open position. Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view showing a detail of construction to be hereinafter referred to.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4, 1 indicates the body of the box or trunk, herein shown as rectangular in form, and 2 indicates the cover thereof, held in place by means of hinges constructed according to my invention and located at opposite ends of the box or trunk. The hinges are formed of two parts or members 3 and 4, one member 3 being secured to the body 1 of the box or trunk, while the other member 4: is secured to the lid or cover 2, the attachment being effected by means of screws or the like passed through perforations 5 in the members. The lower member 3 has a rearwardly-curved and upwardly-projectin g guide or brace 6, which is formed with a curved slot 7, along which is adapted to move as the cover is raised or lowered a pin or lug 8, projecting laterally from one end of the upper member 4 of the hinge, said member 4 being provided with an ofiset arm 9 to fit flush against the inner face of said guide or brace 6. The rear portion of the lower member of the hinge is formed with another and shorter guide 11, having a slot 12, inclined upwardly from its rear to its forward ends lid or cover is raised and lowered, a pin or stud 13, which projects laterally from the rear part of the upper member 4 of the hinge, the slot 12 being made eccentric to the curved slot 7, in which the pin 8 works, so that as the lid or cover is raised or lowered the pins will simultaneously traverse their respective slots. By this construction and arrangement it will be seen that owing to the upward inclination of the rear slot 12 as the lid or cover 2 is raised or opened its rear edge will be raised out of contact with the rear wall of the body 1 and will be simultaneously moved forward, and when said lid or cover is closed or lowered the reverse movements will be effected, so that it is possible to secure a very close and perfect joint between the body 1 and its lid or cover at the rear wall of the trunk. Furthermore, the hinges being located at the ends of the trunk or box, greatly-increased strength is attained over the ordinary construction, wherein the hinges are secured to the rear wall of the trunk.

The guides 6 and 11 are connected and tied together by a transverse strengthening-bar 14, and, as shown in the drawings, the forward end of the upper member 4, whereat the pin or stud 8 is formed, is arranged to project beyond the lower edge of the cover or lid, the curved guide or brace 6 having its lower end arranged at a corresponding distance below the upper edge of the body 1 and bent outwardly away from the surface to which the lower member is secured, as shown at 15 in the drawings, so as to form between said surface and the inner face of the guide or brace 6 a recess or socket 16, (see Fig. 4,).

' adapted to receive the projecting bent portion 9 of the upper member, so as to hold the lid or cover against endwise movement, the offset arm 9 at each end of the lid being embraced, when the lid or cover is closed,between the end surface of the body 1 and the corresponding guide or brace 6.

From the above description it will be seen that'my improved hinge is of an extremely simple and inexpensive construction and is especially well adapted for the purposes for which it is designed, since it permits of forming a tight joint at the back of the trunk or box to which it is applied, prevents frictional engagement of the casing and cover when the latter is being opened and closed, owing to the upward inclination of the eccentric slot 12 throwing the rear edge of the cover up age to the fastenings when the lid or cover'is closed. It will also be obvious that the device is capable of some modification without material departure from the purposes and spirit of my invention, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise form and arrangement of the parts as herein set forth, nor to the employment of the improved hinge upon trunks alone, since it is evident it can be applied to other forms of receptacles and casings adapted for various uses. For example, in some cases the hinge may be arranged inside the trunk or box instead of exteriorly thereto, as is illustrated in Fig. 5. In this arrangement the hinges are secured on the inner sides of the ends of the trunk or box, the guides 6 and 11 being connected by an inclined strengthening-bar 17, which is connected bya curved arm 18 with the body of the lower member 3 of the hinge. In this form the guide 11 is arranged sufliciently far above the upper edge of the body 1 of the box or trunk to form an intervening space 19, adapted to receive the rear wall 20 of the trunk or box lid or cover when the same is raised, as shown in Fig. 5.

In Figs. 6, 7, and 8 I have illustrated the application of my improved hinge to an irregular form of easing or box, comprising a body 2 l and a cover or lid 22. (Shown closed in Fig. 6 and raised in Fig.7.) In connection with this form of casing or box I prefer to employ an upper member 4, havinga laterally-projecting flange or lip 23, adapted to take over the rear wall 24 of the cover at a point opposite to one of the screws 26, which serves to hold the member 4 in place. In this way the tendency of said screw to split the wood of which the wall 24 is formed is overcome and the rear wall of the lid or cover is strengthened, as will be understood.

I claim- The combination of a box or casing having a body and a lid or cover and ahinge comprising two members, one secured to the body and the other to the lid one member having two slotted guides, one of which is curved and bent away from the surface of the box or casing to form, between it and such surface, a recess or socket, and the other member having an arm arranged to project beyond the edge of the box or casing to which such member is secured, into engagement with the socket or recess between the surface of the box or casing and the curved guide of the other member, the member having said arm being provided with two pins, one carried on the arm, the said pins being arranged to traverse said slotted guides when the lid or cover is opened or closed, substantially as set forth.

CONRAD DIETZ.

\Vitnesses:

JAMES N. RAMSEY, J. B. BRODBERGER. 

